BoxyCharm really impressed me this month with gifts from Tatcha, Tarte, Briogeo, Ofra and Starlooks. I’ve always thought BoxyCharm was a great value but swayed a little younger and not all the products resonated and maybe only a few at best excited me. That all changed this month! The January box features:

It’s the perfect mix of mainstream and indie brands with all products I’ll actually try and use. Of all of these brands Starlooks is the only brand I’ve never tried and because they picked a black liner, I’ll actually give it ago! Also I’m so excited about the Tarte palette, I find that generally the palettes included are really bright colors and skewed for a younger audience. This one is so neutral and would look good on anyone. Also Tatcha!!!! Love their products, so excited to see them in this box as well as Briogeo. I’m in love with their detox scalp product and mask so I’ve actually been meaning to try more products from their line. Generally I find in boxes I often get random shades I’m not as interested in trying where this box felt very versatile and was a great way to start the year.

In case you’re not familiar with BoxyCharm they are a subscription box service that offers 4-5 full-size products worth over $100 for only $21/month + free shipping. This months box is valued at $111.

My family calls me the SPF police, because no matter the season, if you’re outside while the sun is out, I will hound you to wear sunblock. It’s the #1 anti-aging product you can use to protect against wrinkles, dark spots and skin sagging — yes the sun does all that damage on top of putting you at risk for skin cancer. I understand there’s a lot of confusion about what the difference between a chemical and physical sunblock, UVA vs UVB rays, and what SPF number you should be wearing (spoiler alert it’s an SPF 30 or 50) and that you only need to wear it in the summer — major false, YEAR ROUND!

Here to clarify all the above points and teach us everything we need to know about sunblock is Dr. Terry Zickerman, Founder of Love Sun Body, the first 100% natural origin mineral line of sunscreens to be internationally COSMOS-certified. Meaning they exceed the world’s strictest ingredient, safety and manufacturing standards and take clean beauty to a whole other level (learn more in the video).

Also you can catch Charlie’s epic cameo and question on if they are cruelty free — which they are! Made up of 10 ingredients they are certified Peta Cruelty Free and Vegan, and ranked 1 out of 10 by EWG!

When talking sunscreen here are some points you should understand:

Sun damage happens in the first minutes your skin is exposed to the sun and is accumulative, year round, so don’t think that quick dog walk or coffee run makes you immune.

UV light emitted by the sun steadily effects skin year-round despite the season — no matter if it’s sunny, snowing, cloudy or raining. Most people think winter is a time when you can tone down the SPF but that’s a mistake. The two UV rays UVA/UVB, while UVB is lessened by the clouds, UVA rays can penetrate glass and clouds meaning no matter the season, if you’re going outside or sit near a window (whether it be at home, in the car or in office) a SPF is a must!

90% of skin aging comes from UV rays so basically sunblock is the #1 anti-aging skincare product you can use.

Make sure the sunscreen you use is “broad spectrum” meaning it protects agains’t the sun’s UVA AND UVB rays.

Make sure your SPF is between a 30 and 50, anything above is just marketing since an SPF 30 block 97% of UV rays, and SPF 50 block 98%. And anything below isn’t effective enough. (We talk more about this in the video and what the numbers mean and when you want to wear which).

The video also covers chemical vs mineral sunscreens and the best way to apply. Yes, most people put on too much of a mineral sunblock and don’t apply it correctly.

It’s been six weeks since I posted this photo on Instagram announcing I was testing out TRU NIAGEN, and I’m happy to announce the results today!

As many of you know, I had a milestone birthday this year and one of my commitments was to take better care of mind and body. When TRU NIAGEN approached me, I did a ton of research including consulting my Naturopathic Doctor, Dr Nadia (@_drnadia). She encouraged me to try it, telling me that NAD research was fascinating and her clients have had great results. And believe me, I’m excited about TRU NIAGEN.

With stellar reviews (I mean if you Google it, the internet is obsessed), TRU NIAGEN is an ‘age better, live better’ supplement that contains a unique form of vitamin B3 proven to increase NAD levels..

NAD is essential for healthy cellular function and aids in our body’s metabolism (converting food to energy at the cellular level). This molecule helps our cells produce energy to keep them functioning at their best. As we age, our NAD levels decline due to certain stressors. TRU NIAGEN is clinically-proven to safely increase NAD levels. And an added bonus is the pills are vegetarian, gluten-free, nut-free, and caffeine-free.

I had the best time sharing our top holiday beauty picks on Michael Yo’s SiriusXM show today. Here’s a quick breakdown of tips and sets to have on your radar, that makes gifting stress-free and most importantly FUN! Here are the questions Michael asked and links to the products mentioned (with a few added bonus products in the mix). I attempted to stay under $50 for all my picks.

Our Favorite “It’s Winter, I have Dry Skin” Skincare Sets on a Budget.

To overly simplify moisturizers, there are two types of people, ones who like cream moisturizers (your standard cream formula), and ones that like gel moisturizers (that’s more of a watery gel texture). If the person you’re shopping for has more oily skin then they will generally opt for a gel moisturizers. Don’t worry if you don’t know their skin type or texture preference, I picked universal favorites for both categories that are almost-all skin type friendly!

Our picks for winter skincare regimens that includes a hydrating cream moisturizer:

Our picks for winter skincare regimen sets that includes a hydrating gel moisturizer:

OTHER WINTER FAVORITES: The Mario Badescu facial sprays linked to below are such a deal and an amazing pick me up when your skin is feeling dry, tired and needs a pick me up. Dr. Jart Ceramide is perfect if you’re super dry and their Cicapair collection is for anyone that gets red. LaNeige lip sleep mask is another amazing pick and has an epic cult following. Their new Sleep Mask kit includes some limited edition flavors we rarely see and for only $28 for the whole set, it’s a steal. Lastly we LOVE Drunk Elephant, we went over budget with this set but it includes their Babyfacial which is our favorite! Lastly, Aquaphor or as I like to call it Aqua-for-all, makes a great stocking stuffer. You can use it for everything winter chapped skin and lips. It’s also great on cuticles, dry patches… While I don’t recommend it as a moisturizer, it is an awesome barrier if you’re combating wind, especially while skiing/snowboarding and can be used over your moisturizer/SPF when you need a shield.

Hostess Gifts

Whether it’s a hostess gift, Secret Santa or little something something for someone in the office you don’t know well enough to guess their favorite beauty products, candles, hand cream sets, pretty lip balms and liquid soap + moisturizer sets are always a safe bet. Basically anything that’s practical but also pretty that bonus they can re-gift if the don’t it it or use to stage a beautiful bathroom for guests to admire you can’t go wrong with. Plus they

*Win a Trip to Palm Springs!* Did I ever tell you the story of a girl who went on vacation to Palm Springs and came home with a dog? Two years ago I took a @JetBlue flight to Palm Springs✈️, stayed at the @WestinMissionHills and living in the lobby was a little doggy in need of rescuing. That trip was so magical for the mountains, nature, the sound bath, the shopping the food, town... but most of all meeting my best friend. - See where all the magic happened @VisitGreaterPS is giving away 2 @JetBlue tickets to Palm Springs +

⚡️GIVEAWAY⚡️Celebrating our @MarieClaireMag feature with a BOSS babe #giveaway from my accessories line. We’re gifting three sets of our Boss Rings to you and a friend + our water bottle chain! To enter: 1️⃣Follow @prettyconnected + @prettyconnectedshop 2️⃣ Like this photo & leave a comment 3️⃣Extra entries for tagging friends you’d like us to gift to. *contest is open to US residents and the winner will be announced via stories/comment on this post on 11/28. This giveaway is not affiliated with Instagram. Good luck! #contest#prize#boss#bossbabe#bossring